YDF in Mozambique: Self-esteem and a change of attitude contributing to a peaceful future
Mozambique is situated in the south-east of Africa. The country
borders the Indian Ocean with a coastline of some 2,500 km. After ten
years of struggle for liberation, Mozambique attained independence from
Portugal in 1975. From 1977 to 1992, the country was again involved in
armed conflict, this time in the form of an intense civil war, which
left the country in an economic and social recession. Peace only
returned in 1992 and the country became relatively stable for the first
time in decades. Today Portuguese-speaking Mozambique is a multi-party
democracy and is considered an African success story with an eight per
cent average annual growth rate; nevertheless, the country remains poor
and most of its citizens earn a meager living from small-scale
agriculture. After the war, the construction of schools and the training
of teachers did not keep up with population growth, the result being a
highly negative effect on education. HIV/AIDS constitutes another major
problem, with an estimated 13 per cent of adults aged 15-49 years either
living with the virus or suffering from the disease. The youth is even
more strongly affected and HIV/AIDS prevalence is far higher in the
central provinces of Sofala, Manica, Tete and Zambezia given that these
are the transport corridors from neighbouring countries to the ports of
Nacala and Beira.
A focus on HIV/AIDS awareness and prevention
Against this backdrop, the Youth Development through Football (YDF)
project considered Mozambique a suitable partner country. Together with
GTZ's 'Multisectoral HIV/AIDS Control in Mozambique' project, YDF
embarked on a cooperation agreement with the Lurdes Mutola Foundation in
2009. The non-governmental organisation was founded by and named after
the homonymous Mozambican Olympic champion. It focuses on sports-based
youth and educational development in the Manica and Sofala provinces and
on fostering the entrepreneurial skills of girls and boys. The
foundation's 'Sport for Development' strategy is aimed at training
coaches to combine health and hygiene issues with football-league
activities. Behavioural-change communication also forms part of the
programme.
Reestablishing self-esteem in the youth
YDF's support to the Lurdes Mutola Foundation is targeted at
reestablishing self-esteem in the Mozambican youth after all the years
of civil war. Issues such as conflict and violence prevention and
political and social participation are high on the agenda. YDF is also
assisting the foundation with a small grant campaign for youth and
women's associations in and around Manica Province. By the end of 2009,
51 coaches had been trained by the foundation, among them 12 women.
Their regular training combines football with life-skills sessions on
the prevention of HIV/AIDS and on project management and funding. It
reaches up to 700 youths in the province.
Last stop, Manica
Mozambique was the last station for a YDF caravan that toured the
partner countries in early May 2010 in order to increase the excitement
among the African youth ahead of the World Cup. In partnership with
GIZ's 'Decentralisation Programme' in Mozambique, YDF used the
opportunity to convey the idea of youth development through football
both to current and potential stakeholders and organised a football
tournament - combined with life-skills sessions - in cooperation with
the Lurdes Mutola Foundation in Manica City. Manica is located 75 km
from the provincial capital of Chimoio, and only 15 km from the border
with Zimbabwe. A team from Zimbabwe's third largest city of Mutare,
which is likewise closely located to the border, also participated in
the tournament.